News

4 October 2018

The Independent Māori Statutory Board has approved the draft Kāinga strategic action plan for consultation, and the document along with supporting material has been released today.

The strategic action plan has been developed alongside stakeholders and government in response to the Auckland Māori Housing Summit in April, which highlighted the urgent housing needs Māori face in Auckland, especially low-income whānau, and called for change and increased accountability.

Board Chairman David Taipari says “the Kāinga strategic action plan provides direction to government on housing outcomes for Māori and changing those outcomes. Once signed off with Ministers it will provide accountability to commitments in the Summit and the action plan.”

The Kāinga strategic action plan places a cultural lens over housing issues, elevating whānau outcomes above ownership. “Regardless of tenure and type, housing should be safe, secure, healthy, and culturally connected. The reality is many Māori whānau in Auckland live in houses owned by others, including government. We think their experiences can be empowering and better supported.”

“Marae and Māori entities have led the way, and more is needed,” Mr Taipari says.

A major concern voiced at the Auckland Māori Housing Summit was around better services, support and housing outcomes for low-income whānau. “This is what we have tried to focus on with this strategic action plan. We heard Ministers being willing to be held to account for the housing outcomes they have promised, and this action plan is an opportunity for that to happen.”

The plan targets better housing outcomes for low-income whānau particularly and seeks to compliment government programmes like KiwiBuild. By promoting change for whānau unlikely to access KiwiBuild housing, the plan targets an important strategic gap and a systems-level approach to what some have called the ‘missing middle’; whānau stuck between highly supported housing and independent housing, often because their income has not grown as quickly as housing costs.

The Board is consulting with stakeholders on the Kāinga strategic action plan during October. A hui is scheduled for mid-October as part of the consultation. The draft plan is available here.